Major Coastal Protection Project Starts in Indonesia

The first pile for a new seawall was sunk yesterday in Jakarta, Indonesia, marking the start of work on a major coastal protection project on the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) project, which is aimed at countering the effects of soil subsidence and rising sea levels.

The project was made possible in part by the efforts of the Dutch government and water sector, who worked with Indonesian partners to develop solutions for the coastal protection of Jakarta.

A Dutch consortium led by engineering and consultancy firms Witteveen+Bos and Grontmij prepared the master plan for this unique hydraulic engineering and urban development project.

The urban design plan was created by design firm KuiperCompagnons, the economic feasibility of the project was analyzed by the financial and economic consultancy firm Ecorys, and the hydraulic analyses were performed by research institute Deltares. Local partners are also involved in the project.

In 2013, the Dutch consortium was commissioned to prepare an integrated master plan for the protection of North Jakarta. The plan was to devote extensive attention to solutions to the city’s urban and socio-economic problems, as well as exploring financing options for the hydraulic engineering structures.

The consortium recently delivered the completed master plan to the client. The sinking of the first pile marks the official start of the project’s first phase: the urgently required reinforcement of coastal protection.
Integrated approach

Implementation of the plan will protect the city against flooding from the sea, both in the short and in the long term. In addition, the system of rivers and canals will be cleaned up, new traffic links will be created, and the city will be given an economic and urban development boost.

A massive sea wall will be built in Jakarta Bay to ensure long-term protection against flooding. The new waterfront will be shaped like the mythical Garuda bird, the national symbol of Indonesia.

The NCICD project is a world first in terms of scale and approach. The works are expected to take thirty to forty years to complete. The entire plan consists of three phases: reinforcing the current sea wall combined with water treatment projects and revitalization of the coast; construction of the Garuda-shaped seawall in the west, combined with a new city for 300,000 residents and 600,000 workers; and construction of an eastern seawall combined with a port expansion project and a new airport.